New project...petite clutch

[motocouture]

New project in the works.  Have a croc skin I want to make into a purse, but figured the smart thing to do is to make a prototype first out of some rather less expensive pebbled calf, lined with dark chocolate HAAS calf leather (thanks @nstarleather!). I’m heavily inspired by an, ahem, certain luxury goods brand, with hardware from Ohio Bag Supply (through hardware elf). Stitching irons are KS 3.0mm, thread is 532 light brown Lin Cable, and trying out the Renia Aquilim glue for the first time. Bag width is approx. 24cm. Will post more photos as I progress.

[motocouture]

Btw, the seam along the top flap is to mimic the size of the pieces I can cut out of the croc hide. 

The gussets will have two oval slots for the straps to pass through (will be stitched to the back of the clutch, and fasten at the front)

[Mokerson]

Moto, would be interested to read your review of the Renia glue.

- John

[bikermutt07]

It's looking good. 

[motocouture]

21 hours ago, Mokerson said:

Moto, would be interested to read your review of the Renia glue.

- John

Hi John, no worries, will post a detailed review as I progress through the project

 

21 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

It's looking good. 

Can only go downhill from here 

[motocouture]

Some progress pics from work this week.  First two shots are the interior pocket, out of calf with a strip of the embossed calf as trim. The third photo shows the pre-stitched gussets (realized I will have stitched around 8 of those oval slots by the time I’m done with the body of the clutch...sigh...), along with the initial work on the straps. 

[bikermutt07]

Your stitches look fantastic. And I love how the thread looks against both colors. Great choices.

[motocouture]

1 hour ago, bikermutt07 said:

Your stitches look fantastic. And I love how the thread looks against both colors. Great choices.

Thanks mate! I really like this color combo, especially the almost cigar shades of the embossed calf against the dark chocolate....been experimenting with mixing custom colors for the edge paint, will see how it goes. 

[motocouture]

@Mokerson I promised a glue review...I’m lovin’ the Renia glue. Was using Barge, but I found it evaporated quickly to a gooey mess, and was scaring my family out of the basement. I’m using two different glues, the temporary bond and the Aquilim 315 permanent contact cement. 

For storage, I decided to give the TS Boy glue pots a go. They’re obviously made out of something impressive, as my sharpie wouldn’t even stay put when trying to write on them. Despite looking like small toilets, they work really well. Bought a couple of brushes, but don’t use them.  Make do with small offcuts of my thin kitchen cutting boards (use them as bag stiffeners), and just wipe them off after use.

I’ve posted a couple of pics that show the 315 glue when first applied, then after about 20 mins.  I’m a complete novice with this glue, but from my initial experimentation, it seems to works best if you apply to both sides, then let it dry to fully clear before sticking together. After placing the pieces together, I hammer, then press.  Found that it’s a little stickier on needles than the Barge, if hypothetically you’re impatient and try to stitch too soon...once it’s dry though, very easy to stitch through, and remove from edges of a little spills over. 

And, as always, it sticks reaaaaallly well to fingers, too. 

Edited January 26, 2018 by motocouture

[Stetson912]

Is the aquilim expensive? Its water based right? How's the bond?

While I do enjoy the fragrant aromatic stench that effervesces from my bottle of weldwood or barge, ahem... I don't like the idea of sucking down carcinogens. I find myself lacking ventilation and should really find some...or maybe try this stuff? 20 mins seems like a long time but, id rather wait the 20 mins than choke on my fun sized jar of caustic super stick. 

PS, I like the tiny toilets... Perhaps teflon?